The Finch
by Shiva-J
Summary: What if Finch Thales ('Foxface') had been Reaped for the 73rd Hunger Games and had managed to win? Well, as the new Victor of District Five, Finch is going to discover the toll that Victory in the Games takes on your soul and how high the price of winning is going to be...
1. Chapter 1

**The Finch**

My eyes fluttered open groggily; a drug induced haze was fading fast and bringing everything into focus. What I was seeing seemed surreal and foreign, a white sterile room filled with expensive looking medical equipment.

"What?" I croaked through a voice that sounded weak.

"Ah, good. You're awake." A happy, chipper voice sounded from nearby, a figure came into my line of vision, it was a doctor, a Capitol doctor.

"I won…" I said to myself, repeating the words I had said before in the frozen arena, the broken body of Shine, the girl from District One on the cold snow below me.

"Yes you did Ms. Thales." The Doctor replied with a pleased grin, "And might I say that you managed to make an otherwise boring Hunger Games most entertaining."

The man's words barely register as I pulled myself up from the bed into a sitting position, it took more effort than it should have but I managed it.

"How long have I been out?" I asked him while getting a glimpse of his name tag, 'Dr. Gray' it read.

"Just a couple days," Dr. Gray answered with a bit more professionalism, "We patched you up, most of what we have to repair was your weight loss due to starvation and dehydration." He laughed and added, "Compared to most of the Victor's I've worked on, you got out virtually unscathed by comparison."

His laugh rang hollow in my ears, because his words were a lie.

No one got out of the Hunger Games unscathed.

No one.

* * *

After another hour of rest, my Escort, Gaius Knack arrived in his latest ridiculous outfit along with my Mentor, Tessa to bring me back to District Five's suite at the Training Center.

It felt empty, the whole building felt abandoned.

But with the happy chatter my escort and prep team to fill the void, and Tessa at my side it was almost tolerable.

I glanced at the slumped figure on couch and couldn't resist commenting, "So, Zen hit the sauce early I see."

My escort and prep team fell into an awkward silence at that before forcing themselves to speak again, moving on from District Five's only surviving male Victor.

"Oh Finch," Posca, the purple skinned member of the prep team said with a sigh, "We tried to talk him out of it, but…"

"It's ok." I reassure him, "But where is…?"

"Sabine is on his way," Tessa answered, cutting me off, her dark hazel eyes filled with an understanding that the others in the room lacked, "He's just putting some last minute alterations to your Victor's crowning dress."

After that everyone else began to gossip about what fashion confection that Sabine had whipped up for me to wear.

Once they were distracted I sat down on one of the couches gratefully, Tessa following in my wake.

As soon as she sat down Tessa began to speak, "They didn't plan on telling you that Sabine hadn't bothered working on a design until you and the boy from Ten managed to torch Cornucopia."

I suppressed a sigh, "I'm not surprised," I answered honestly, "How many people do you think expected me to make it even that far in the Games?"

Tessa gave me a sly smirk, "Only the ones that knew what you were up to, Fox."

"Fox?!" I replied confused, "Where did that come from?"

Tessa just gave me a look of embarrassment, "Well Zen and myself were talking to a sponsor who overheard us using that nickname your Tribute Partner came up with… and it… well… It stuck."

I felt my jaw drop a bit before I could stop it.

"Oh no…" I groaned, knowing where this was going.

Tessa just gave a rueful sigh, her dark locks swaying with the motion, "Sorry Finch, but at this point even Caesar's calling you 'the Fox girl', or more formally, 'the Fox of the 73rd Hunger Games'."

I just groaned again, not bothering to explain that nickname hadn't been invented by my Tribute Partner, it had been something that everyone had called me all my life.

Not even escaping death for the amusement of the Capitol had been enough to get away from being 'that Fox looking girl'.

* * *

It was the company that kept me from thinking about it, kept me grounded to the world.

Even if it was just a temporary escape.

However after Sabine had arrived, with his extra jointed fingers, red colored tattoos, and pink stripped white hair and had placed me in his latest creation, after I had praised it and he and the others had departed, and Tessa began dragging Zen into his room to sleep off his latest bender.

There was nothing but me and my thoughts.

The sumptuous apartment began to feel like a prison, however escaping to the old Training Area held very little appeal.

I knew all that would be there were memories of my days training with the other Tributes, seeing the Careers trying to intimidate us, me working at the survival stations, memorizing ways to live off the land, figuring out that they were going to send us somewhere cold.

Instead as I stepped into the elevator I pushed a button I had never bothered to use before, the button for the roof.

The fresh air and the sight of the Capitol, its gleaming candy colored building and the mountains were a change.

But it didn't help much.

All I could see was Shine's dead body down below, a pool of blood staining the snow around her, I could almost see myself standing on the roof of the ruined Cornucopia, blood stained knife in hand.

I was found by an Avox about half an hour later, curled up into a ball near the door to the elevator, rocking back and forth crying as the memories continued to flash in front of me.

* * *

It was even worse when I found myself on the Victor's Throne, its straight ridged back making it agony to sit on as I watched the 73rd Hunger Games play out right in front of me.

I had kept hearing from my prep team and escort how boring the games were this year, and how I was 'the only interesting thing to happen'.

I had taken that with a grain of salt, but as I watched my own reaction to seeing the Arena for the first time, the Cornucopia in the middle of a ruined city surrounded by tundra and a partly frozen river, knowing that my plans to avoid the bloodbath were washed up due to a need for at least a coat and some supplies, all 24 tributes had dashed for it.

Through luck and my small frame I was able to avoid the slaughter, which actually claimed a Career, the boy from One, while I snagged a coat and a backpack before running off for the ruins, not pushing my luck any further.

However as the games progressed I could see why things would have been boring, most of the Tributes that didn't die at the Bloodbath died of Hypothermia.

And then we reached my first kill.

It was the second night and I had heard something in the house I had just snuck into, on the throne I gripped the handles as I slipped quietly to the source of the noise, I found Meeka, the girl from 11 half-frozen to death on the floor, her body turning blue.

I saw myself nearly run until I realized that she had lost her grip on the dagger she had managed to get, and my eyes narrowed.

I tried to make it quick, I and the rest of Panem watched as I grabbed the dagger, kicked her onto her back, and cut her throat, covering her mouth to hold back the noises she was making.

It became a blur until the next clip involving me was being caught by Cleaver a few days later, the boy from District Ten, everyone could see the fear in my eyes as his huge frame seemed to dominate the screen, until I proved fast on my feet by making him an offer.

_"We both know that you can kill me." I told him, keeping my voice from shaking with the fear that I felt down to my very bowels._

_As he moved in closer I held up my hand, "But can you possibly win against the Careers?"_

_Cleaver stopped in mid-stride, "And how can you help me? You can't even help yourself."_

_I managed a very sly grin, "I can help you destroy their supplies. Even up the playing field. Since otherwise it'll guarantee them the victory."_

Then I got to watch myself plot with Cleaver, I had stolen stuff from Cornucopia before and I knew where all the traps where, and when the guard was at its weakest.

We then waited until the Careers went hunting and left just one guard, and approached Cornucopia from different angles, Cleaver hid himself behind a convenient mound of rubble while I attracted Timon, the boy from Two with some noise.

He then knocked out Timon, but didn't kill him since it would set off the cannon and alert the others, and dragged him to the pile of goodies inside the building, I disabled a couple of traps before we helped ourselves to supplies and then we found a can of gasoline.

Since I lit the match, the kill counted as mine.

However as we departed Cornucopia, I had a small black vial hidden in my coat pocket for later.

After that we both got our first sponsors, dried fruit and jerky with some multivitamins to give an extra boost.

Then the Careers began to struggle, and struggle badly.

The boy and girl from Four tried to ice fish at the river, but the ice broke, sending them both to watery graves. Then the girl from Two got frostbite on her feet and several infections and died a hard death.

After that Panem got to watch my third kill, as the latest Career death graced the force field I quietly poisoned Cleaver's canteen and then made a show of wanting to do a toast of just having one more career and two more tributes to deal with.

The big idiot took a swig, and then a couple of minutes later was convulsing on the ground, blood pouring out of every orifice.

I waited until he was too weak to hurt me, then I stabbed and stabbed until the cannon went off, but even as I swiped what I could and ran I was crying.

But even as Shine killed the remaining tributes, I found myself alone, alone and waiting for my chance to deal with her.

I went back to Cornucopia and found the building itself was intact, but charred, and as soon as the boy from seven's picture appeared, everyone saw me grin.

It was time.

The Gamemakers began to screw with the environment in a big way, herding Shine back towards Cornucopia, everyone watched me wait and climb about halfway up the building until I could hear her coming and made as much noise as I could, trying to get her there faster.

As soon as I saw a shadow I bolted up like a monkey, I could see Shine's pretty face twisted into a animalistic snarl when she spotted me, her sword gleaming in her hand.

But she didn't realize what I did, that when she began to climb up the building she'd be vulnerable.

I made a show of being scared until her fingers found purchase on the roof.

And then my dagger sliced through those fingers, blood squirted onto the burnt stone and onto my boots, without anything to grip with Shine fell back down to the snowy earth with a scream and a sickening crunch.

Her neck had snapped on impact, twisting it into an unnatural angle, her jet black hair splayed out onto the freshly red stained snow, her eyes empty and devoid of life.

A life that I had taken, to live, to win…

As President Snow crowned me with the Victor's crown on my head, I could swear that I smelled blood on his breath as he quietly congratulated me, his promise of speaking to me in private sounded like a threat.

But I had to push it aside as the next step came, my final interview with Caesar Flickerman.

He was still wearing that red makeup, it looked like blood.

Meeka's blood.

Timon's blood.

Cleaver's blood.

Shine's blood…

As Caesar oohed and awwed over me, what a delightful surprise at such a tenacious Victor, and from District Five no less! I forced myself to be more open and honest this go around.

"Well," I replied to his latest question with a sly grin, "I have to admit that I did underplay what I could do. Just a little."

Caesar laughed, his teeth flashing in the bright lights, "Ahhh! Just like Johanna I see! Well now that's a tricky tactic to pull off, but clearly someone as sly as the Fox of the Arena didn't find it to be any trouble at all."

As I fed into this, and had the audience lapping it up, and I wondered when it would end so I could just go home and try to forget.

If that was even possible.

* * *

_Author's Notes: This is my very first attempt at a Hunger Games' fanfic, the updates might not be very regular but I do have a plan for this fic. If you haven't already figured it out, this is a slight AU in which Finch Thales (AKA 'Foxface') was Reaped for the 73rd Hunger Games and won._


	2. Chapter 2

I shot up in my bed, my heart pounding like a frightened rabbit, a scream trapped in my throat, only a whimper able to escape the fright gripping me.

I force myself to breathe, in and out, in and out, in and out.

At the third breath I realize that I'm soaked in sweat, so I crawl out of the expensive bedding and stumble in the dark towards the bathroom and turn on the light.

I rip off my now damp nightshirt and enter the shower, but not even the hottest water, or the most rose scented shampoos do much to make me feel better.

"Get a grip Finch," I tell myself, "It was just a dream, it wasn't real, it doesn't matter."

Except, I know that's another lie.

Because it does matter.

It's the reason why so many Victor's wind up drunks, or hooked on exotic drugs, desperate to escape the reminder of the things they had seen and done.

After the shower I towel off and stumble out in the nude only to realize that part of the reason my bedroom is so dark is due to the blinds being completely drawn.

I give myself a mental slap on the head before finding the fancy remote that draws them back, revealing that it was in fact morning.

The sunshine is a sign that it's going to be a gorgeous day.

"Why didn't…?" I begin to ask myself before remembering that most people in the Capitol sleep until Noon.

However sleep held little appeal so I shrug it off and head for the closet to dig out something to wear that wouldn't make my eyes bleed.

* * *

Once in the dining room of District Five's suite it doesn't take long before I'm served a small something by one of the ever waiting Avoxes for breakfast.

I've tried to remember them individually to little avail, it might be terrible but they've been trained to be so non-obtrusive that there's little for my memory to retain about them all.

As I eat the delicious, but unknown dish I couldn't help but think about the night before.

The night of the Victor's celebration, my celebration.

The momentary, and yet unsettling time with President Snow crowing me as Victor, my interview, and then the parties, meeting the line of Sponsors that had sent me things and thanking them, the various Gamemakers, and even spotting a couple of the previous Victor's, though for some reason I didn't get a chance to meet them.

At my side, Tessa had assured me that there'd be a meeting the next day, today in fact.

"It's our little tradition," she informed me quietly, "After you have the fan meet-and-greet, and a chance to see the Capitol a bit, you get to meet the other members of our twisted family."

I would have asked what she had meant about 'family', but then a slimy and obese sponsor named Scipio approached us, his eyes undressing me in my Victory celebration gown.

As I finished breakfast with a relish, and a shiver at the memory, I gave a brief thought as to the fate of the Ivory white off shoulder gown, Sabine had mentioned something about a 'Victor's Museum' but I hadn't had a chance to press for details.

I wondered if anyone else was going to wake up soon and I had the sudden image of Zen at the open bar with two other victors she had vaguely recognized as being from Districts Eleven and Twelve respectively.

Then I the sound of someone approaching, I turned around just in time to see Tessa walking in, already dressed for the day in a pair of pants and a plain white blouse.

"Morning Fox." She told me with a grin.

"Can we skip that nickname, please?" I plead from my chair.

Tessa just grinned, flashing her pearly whites, "So what's for breakfast."

I shrug, "Dunno, but it's good."

Tessa took that as her chance to sit down across from me, while waiting for her food she glanced at me and said, "Ok so you remember the day's schedule?"

I nodded, "I get to meet with fans and sign autographs at a… book store right?"

Tessa gave an affirmative, it still seemed weird that there'd be enough people reading regularly for an actual store selling nothing but books to exist.

"And then you and Gaius will take me on a short jaunt in the… Commercial district right?"

Tessa nodded again, "And we'll be followed by some members of the Capitol press, but they'll be hanging in back and won't ask you any questions."

I nodded again, "And then I get to meet the others."

Tessa confirmed this before her face fell and she took a deep breath, "But there's something I need to talk to you about before that meeting happens."

"What do you mean?" I ask, starting to feel on edge.

As an Avox set a plate down in front of Tessa, she began to poke at it with her fork, "Do you have any notion of what the dark side of being a Victor entails?"

"Besides the obvious?"

"Yes," Tessa answered back darkly, "Besides the obvious."

I had no idea what she was talking about, I began to rack my brain, trying to dredge up a hint but kept coming up with a blank.

Tessa broke the silence by saying, "There are things that President Snow has the Victor's do for him, well for his political allies… and those with the cash to pay."

I found myself beginning to feel sick to my stomach, my instincts began to scream at me what the answer was, but it didn't seem even remotely right.

"Tessa…" I said, half whining.

"It's not that bad," She quickly reassured me, "Most Victor's only have to do it for a couple years. It depends on your popularity and how much impact you had on people's imaginations. I haven't had to do anything like that for years." She then actually laughed and added, "Finnick on the other hand is practically swimming in a sea of admirers."

I found myself stunned that she could laugh while discussing this subject.

I open my mouth to object to this…

"Finch," Tessa stated flatly, stopping me before the first syllable, "I know you are about to say 'I won't do it'. I said the same thing, until I found out what the price would be."

I tried to respond, but before I could get anything out Tessa continued, "He'll kill them."

"…Who will kill who?" I ask, my voice quivering.

"Snow," Tessa concluded coldly, "He'll kill everyone that's ever mattered to you if you don't let him sell you to the highest bidder."

I feel the sudden urge to curl up into a ball and just hide somewhere and never come back out.

'This is not happening.' I deny to myself 'This is not happening'.

Except it is happening, and I have no idea what horrifies me more, being turned into a prostitute, or having my Father's death on my hands.

"…when?" I managed to squeak out.

"Not until the end of your Victory Tour," Tessa replied to me, "When you come back to the Capitol."

I breath an audible sigh of relief, it makes seem a little bit better, like something far away that I don't have to think about, for now.

I grab the glass of juice and down it and ask the only question I could come up with, "But why? Why would Snow need the money?"

"It's not about the money, Finch." A voice said from the doorway.

I whipped around to find Zen leaning on the frame, his arms folded across his chest while he blinked a bit in the light.

"It's not about money," He repeated, "Snow just likes reminding us that not even the Victors are invincible."

'Now that's funny,' a voice whispers in my head, 'You have never felt invincible.'

I was suddenly glad I had eaten before Tessa and Zen had entered the room, otherwise I wouldn't have had another bite of breakfast.

* * *

As yet another family stepped forward at the call of the female Peacekeeper, Finch made sure that her smile never wavered.

She was sitting at a table set up in the bookstore, having to sign autographs of posters with pictures of herself on them.

However she glanced around the store again, seeing the life-sized cutouts of herself in different moments, some were from the Games themselves, one was of her climbing up a building, another was slashing at something with her dagger, and others were from her Interviews and the Crowning ceremony.

The latest Capitol family to approach, dressed what was clearly their finest, had the usual father and mother pair with two young children, a boy and a girl.

"Oh my gosh!" the girl positively gushed with her little head barely visible above the table, "I didn't think I'd ever get to meet a Victor!"

The smile was even more difficult to wear than before, that little girl cooed over the word 'Victor' like it was something wonderful.

The little boy was trying to be more serious, "Hi Victor Finch, it's nice to be here." Before holding up the latest poster for her to sign.

Finch didn't even blink at the image, it was a familiar one now, the image of her and Cleaver walking away from the burning Cornucopia.

A hand briefly caressed her shoulder and Finch felt the tightness fade a bit and signed the poster.

The boy quickly lit up, losing his serious demeanor and began gushing even more badly than his sister, "This is amazing! I can't wait to show all my friends that I got the _Fox _to sign my poster."

The parents chuckled at their son's happiness and Finch dared to glance at Tessa, standing at her side with a brief look of sympathy before turning back to glancing at the crowd.

'She had to put up with this too.' Finch reminded herself while she exchanged a few words with the kids before their parents took them away.

Finch only winced a little bit at the bark of "Next!" from the Peacekeeper who was serving as her bodyguard for the day, she was slowly getting used to it.

* * *

It was with gratitude from her extremities that Finch sank into the plush material of the fancy Capitol car as Tessa joined her and shut the door before it sped away.

"I don't know what was more draining," Finch muttered to no one in particular, "The crowd at the bookstore or the photographers that followed us too all those stores."

Tessa snorted, "I couldn't figure that one out myself when I was in your shoes my little Fox."

Finch just glared.

"Honey, at this point get used to it." Tessa answered without missing a beat.

Finch just grumbled ungratefully as she watched the Capitol pass her by through the windows.

It had been a long shopping trip through the shopping district, Finch still wasn't sure if it was the only district or just the one selected for her by the powers at be, but with Tessa at her side they had gone to an electronics' shop, an appliance store, a seemingly endless sea of clothing and makeup stores, and had rounded it off with a visit to Sabine's Boutique where she had tried on several different dresses for her Victory Tour that she had been told in advance wouldn't actually be used for the tour, it was just a way to remind people of the next event in six months' time.

And the icing on the cake had been the fact that no one actually asked her for money, as a Victor all she had to do was give her name and the money would be taken directly from her Capitol registered account.

Tessa just smiled but said nothing, leaving Finch to her thoughts as they traveled back to the Penthouse and the next task of the day.


End file.
